At Least it's not Love
by shadowcat190
Summary: Young Lily Evans is a gifted tennis player with a budding career who's future is changed with a letter from a mysterious school


Disclaimer: I do not even know why I do this. I do not own Harry Potter or any character in it. They all come out of the brilliant mind of J.K Rowling. The only characters I own are the ones that I made up, and you will know who those are. So now I will stop stating the obvious and go on with the story. Oh yea, by the way, for all of you non tennis players, in tennis love means that you have zero points which definitely is not a good thing.  
  
Chapter One:  
  
It was a beautiful Saturday morning. The sun was shining and there were no clouds in the sky. The calm peacefulness of the day did little to ease Lily Evan's nerves. It was the day of the inner- city tennis tournament and Lily was vying to keep her title as champion. At the age ten she was the best tennis player in the league and the city in the junior division. Her older sister Petunia wasn't too shabby herself, she was in second place in the senior division. Together they made an invincible team. They both planned to move on into professional tennis and to dominate the tennis world, such big dreams for two young girls, but they were well on their way to fulfilling it. Now Lily was used to playing tournaments but today was different. Today was her eleventh birthday which meant that she would be moving on to the senior division. Anticipation filled her body as her parents pulled up into the Sherwood tennis center. Lily opened the car door and slid out onto the paved parking area. The center loomed out in front of her. She had never really noticed how big it was, or how intimidating. Thoughts and questions twirled around her head. What if she wasn't good enough? What if she messes up horribly and looks like a fool? "Lil, what are you waiting for? The tournament is going to start in five minutes." Lily looked up to see Petunia staring at her, a worried expression on her face. "I'm coming Tunia, just go on, I'll be there in a second." Lily called back to her. She grabbed her racket and visor and ran to catch up to her sister who was checking the playing list. "Oh my god, Lils, you will never guess who you are playing with for doubles" Petunia said shrilly.  
"Who" Lily asked trying to catch her breath.  
"Me!" Petunia answered a huge smile on her face. Lily leaned over Petunia's shoulder and read the list. Sure enough they were playing on the same team for doubles. "Man, me and you on the same team, I have to feel sorry for the people who are playing us" Lily said smiling back at her sister, "which unlucky people are playing us anyways?" "Oh lets see" Petunia said glancing at the list again. "James Potter and Jenny Stewarded, I have played against jenny before, she is not that good really, but I have never heard of this Potter boy, must be new." "Let us just hope that he isn't that good" Lily said. "It does not matter how good he is, we can beat anybody" Petunia laughed back. "You know it." Lily smiled at Petunia. It was so great to have a sister like her. Unlike most sisters they actually got along. She knew that nothing could ever separate the two of them. Petunia caught Lily staring at her. "What, do I have something on my face or something?" Lily shook her head and quickly tried to change the subject. "So what court are we on" she asked Petunia. "What? Oh we are on court three, we should be going, the tournament starts in a minute." Petunia said as she started walking towards the courts. Lily followed her sister down the little paved path that led to court three. Petunia opened the court door and held it for Lily. Lily stepped inside the court and looked to the other side where the other two players were. There was a tall blond player who Lily supposed was Jenny. She was practicing her serves, hitting balls to the other player. Lily could not see the other person's face until he turned around. He had black hair that didn't seem to lay down straight and beautiful hazel eyes. He looked up and smiled at Lily and she felt her heart beat faster. She thought he looked like half ruffian, half charming and totally adorable. She didn't even know that she was staring was staring at him until Petunia nudged her and looked down at her with raised eyebrows. Lily felt her cheeks turn red and turned away from the boy.  
  
James wasn't prepared for what he saw. He considered himself to be a totally perfect being that could not be phased, until he saw that girl. He had just turned eleven a few days ago and was accepted into Hogwarts School of witchcraft and wizardry. It was a great time in his life. Both of his parents went to that school and from the stories that they told him it sounded like the best place ever. He had been waiting for his owl ever since he could remember. Both of his parents worked in the Ministry of Magic so they had decided to live in London where they would be close by their work. James had grown up in a muggle nieghborhood, gone to a muggle school, and had muggle friends, but still did not consider himself any part muggle; that is why it was a surprise to him that he fell for a muggle girl. He had always said that if he ever fell in love that it would be to a witch, no exceptions. That is why he felt so odd when her saw that muggle girl. Tennis had always been a pastime for him. His parents had got him hooked on the sport early on and he had grown to love it (though he did love the magical sport quidditch much better) He had just moved up to the senior division and was eager to impress all of the older players with his flawless techniques. That was why he was looking forward to the inner-city tournament. He was to be playing with Jenny Stewarded, who he thought was just a tall blond girl with no talent. "No bother, I will just have to play harder so I can cover the two of us" he though to himself. Being an only child and the center to all of his parent's devotion, James had grown up to be a pretty self centered young man. So James had his parents drive him there early so he could warm up. Jenny arrived a few minutes later; she too had wanted to do some before hand stretching. He was worried though, an hour later, that the other people would not show up, there was only one minute left until the tournament started. Then he saw two figures walking up to the court but he could not see any faces through the green netting surrounding the court. The first to enter was a tall, lanky girl with dark brown hair and light green eyes. Then she came. All he saw at first was a magnificent cloud of dark red curls. He had never seen that color of hair before, that red. Then he found himself staring into those eyes, shining like two dark emerald. She had fair skin that naturally came with the red hair and a few light freckles over her slightly pointed nose. He thought that she was the most beautiful thing that he had ever seen. There was just something about that girl that intrigued him; something that called pointed her out from all other people. "James old pal, what are you thinking, she is a muggle, you can't fall in love with a muggle." Those words kept flying through his head but he still could not help looking at her. There was just something about her. He saw her blush and turn away from his gaze and he couldn't help but smile. He too turned around to face Jenny. At that same moment they both thought the same thing.  
  
"This is going to be a very interesting game"  
  
Do you like it? Please review and tell me, that is the only way that I know that I should go on or stop. Your reviews mean so much to me. If you want me to stop by and review your stories ten just tell me too. I am open to all kinds of comment. Thank you all,  
Shadowcat 


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